Apparently worried by reports
alleging that some soft drinks in the country could be dangerous to health,
Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State on Tuesday banned the serving and
consumption of Coke, Sprite and Fanta at government functions in the state.
The governor gave the
directive during a meeting with traditional rulers and town union executives in
the state.
A Lagos State High Court in a
suit between Fijabi Adebo Holdings Limited and Emmanuel Fijabi Adebo against
the Nigerian Bottling Company Ltd and the National Agency for Food and Drug
Administration and Control, alleged that Fanta Orange and Sprite may be
hazardous if consumed with vitamin C.
The court said the drinks may
contain high levels of two additives, benzoic acid and sunset yellow, which may
be dangerous for human consumption.
But the Nigerian Bottling
Company, NBC, debunked the allegations maintaining that the amount of the
chemicals in its products, including Fanta and Sprite, were within Nigerian
regulatory standards.
Also, an investigation by the
Consumer Protection Council, CPC, found that the level of benzoic acid in Fanta
and Sprite were within the Nigerian approved standard. Instead, the CPC, found
that benzoic acid levels in two other non-NBC products, Lucozade and Mirinda,
had much higher contents than that approved by Nigerian regulators.
The CPC has since called for
fresh investigation of all soft drinks sold in Nigeria.
The confusion on the status of
the drinks may have informed the decision of the Ebonyi governor.
Mr. Umahi on entering the
governor’s lodge, venue of the Tuesday meeting, noticed the soft drinks on the
tables.
Immediately he got to his
seat, he requested for the microphone while still standing.
He then proceeded to ask the
rushers to remove all bottles of coke, sprite and fanta from the hall as
according to him, they are dangerous to health
“I don’t want these brands of
soft drink to be served in any government function again”, he warned.
Immediately, the ushers and
protocol officers evacuated the drinks from the tables out of the hall.
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